High-potential switch.



PATENTED OCT. 3, 1905.

E. M. HEWLETT 6a W. L. E. EMMET.

HIGH POTENTIAL SWITCH.

MPLIGATION FILED JAN.15. 1900.

no@ f DM I V1EdwardM Hewleut:, f an llllamL Rmmet m( b5 2% C NITEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVARD M. HEWLETT ANI) IVILLIAH L. R. EMMET, OF SCHENECTADY,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPO- RATION OF NEV YORK.

HIGH-POTENTIAL SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1905.

Be it known that we, EDWARD M. HEWLETT and WILLIAM LER. EMMET, citizens of the United States, and residents of Schenectady,

county of Schenectady, State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in High-Potential Switches, of which the following is a specification. c

The object of this invention is to provide a IO switch for high-potential electric currents,

and particularly such as may be employed in central or distributing stations for handling currents of large amperage.

In carrying out the invention we mount upon an insulating-support, such as a switchboard,

a frame carrying fixed and movable circuitterminals and inclose the latter in a movable pot or well of oil or other insulating1 liquid and provide means for rocking the circuitclosing contact into operative relation to a desired set of terminals.

The invention embodies various structural features, the novelty of which will be hereinafter fully described and will be definitely indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a double-throw multipolar switch embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional v view on a plane at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit connections.

1 represents a support of insulating material, which may be a switchboard and formed of marble, slate, or other iireproof insulating' material. In the rear of this support is mounted a cast-iron frame 2, comprising a horizontal plate which forms the top of the oil-receptacle, and depending arms 3 3", supporting the fixed and movable elements of the switch.

On this plate is hung a well or pot I for oil or other insulating liquid which may be employed, which we prefer to pivot at one sid e, as indicated at 5, and provide with a detachable clamp at the other side adapted to be thrown into or out of clamping relation to a slotted ear or lug on the supporting-frame. In the arms 3 2El 1s Journaled an iron frame 7 1n the The movable element is provided with a crank 10, formed integral with the shell 7, which is connected by links with a crank on the rock-shaft 11, another arm of which is connected to an operating-lever 12 on the front of the support, the arm passing through an opening in the support. A stop 13, carried by the arm, is placed in position to engage the supporting-frame and arrest movement of the parts at the forward limit of movement of the operating-lever 12. A knob 14 on the front of the support connects by a rod with a bellcrank lever 15, which raises or permits to dcseend a spring-pressed pin 16, adapted to en' gage a notch 17 in a part of the shell which carries the movable parts of the switch, (seen in Fig. 2,) the notch being so placed that it holds the switch in its open position. The circuitterminals pass through insulators or bushings, as 18, of porcelain, supported in the top plate of the oil-well, and may be clamped in their seats by a lead joint 18 or in any other suitable way. The circuit leads pass through the insulators and are in conductive relation to elastic clips 19 19, iirmly fixed to the blocks 9 9u. Any desired number of these clips may be employed according to the character of the circuits or the number of poles of the switch. In the drawings we have shown a double-pole two-throw switch suitable for a high potential triphase alternating-current circuit. Each pole is independently mounted and its point of rupture inclosed between insulating-barriers, as 2O 20, &c., composed of plates of indurated liber or other fireproo'f insulator supported in the blocks 9 9L and extending across the oil-well to afi'ord a lireproof wall on each side of the contact extending from side to side of the oil-well. The top of the barriers may be cut away to permit free movement of the rocker, on which the bridge-pieces which connect the several poles are mounted. These bridge-pieces are composed of good conducting metal, of inverted- U shape, bolted to the wooden rocker and shifted into engagement with the clips at either side of the oil-well. Each limb of the bridge acts as a knife-switch to enter the clips which constitute the pole of the fixed member. This will be clearly seen from Fig. 2, where 21 Q1" represent the two limbs of the bridge engaging the clips 19.

The relation of the circuit-terminals will IOO be clearly understood 'from an inspection of Fig'. 3, where they are shown in diag'ram. In this tig'ure, a L c represent the supply-circuit, and a Z/ c' and a bz c2 two distributing'- circuits with which connection may be made b y the switch with the supply-circuit. Each limb of the supply-circuit connects with one jaw of two insulated clips, onel limb on each side of the switch in parallel, the coperating' jaw ot' the clip being connectedv with corresponding leads of the two distributing-circuits. Thus when the switch is thrown so as to connect the supply-circuit a c to the distributing-circuit a c the bridge-pieces connect each phase of the supply-circuit at a double-pole contact with a lead of the distributing'-circuit.

In mounting the parts for operation the well 4 is tilled with oil or other insulating' liquid to a sudicient depth to cover the operative parts when in position and is then pushed up snugly against the support and locked in position. When the circuit is opened, the switch is in the position indicated in full lines in Fig: l and is held against movement in that position by the stop-pin 16. When it is desired to cut in either distributing-circuit, the knob -14 is pulled out, releasing' the catch, and the operating-lever 12 pushed in or pulled out to its full limit, thereby connecting the main with one or the other distributing-circuit. The best results are attained when the oil submerg'es not only the contacts, but the rocker-frame 7 as well, so1 that all live parts of the switch are under o1 W'hat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is4

l. A circuit-breal er comprising a base, a movable part,and asupport for said two parts, said base and movable part being' provided with cooperating' make-and-break contacts, combined with a detachable oil -insulator adapted to be placed in position for immersing' said contacts without disturbance of the said mechanism.

2. An oil-switch comprising' a support for iixed and movable electrodes, and an oil-well inclosing' the electrodes and adapted to be raised and lowered with relation thereto.

3. An oil-switch comprising' a support for the tixed and movable electrodes, and an oilwell inclosing the electrodes pivoted at one side and provided with a catch for holding' or releasing' it.

t. ln an electric switch, the combination ot' a horizontally-disposed supporting-plate, iiXed contacts mounted thereon,and a receptacle for containing' an insulating lluid, said receptacle detachably suspended from said supporting'- plate.

5. In an electric switch, the combination with a horizontal supporting-plate, ot' side plates depending' therefrom, insulating-bars connecting' said side plates, and a series ol spring-contacts mounted on said bars.

6. In an electric switch, the combination with a horizontal supporting'-plate, of side plates depending' therefrom, insulating-bars connecting' side plates, a series ot' spring-contacts mounted on said bars, an oscillating' cylinder pivoted in said side plates, and a series ot' knife-blades carried by said cylinder.

7. In an electric switch, the combination with a switchboard, a horizontal supportingplate projecting' from the back ot' the switchboard, side plates depending' therefrom, insulating-bars connecting'said sideplates, a series of spring-contacts mounted on said bars, an oscillating' cylinder journaled in said side plates, a series o'l" knife-blades carried by said cylinder, an operating-handle on the front of the switchboard, and mechanism introduced between the handle and the cylinder for oscillating' the cylinder.

8. In an electric switch, the combination with a switchboard, a horizontal support proliecting' 'from the back of the switchboard, switch mechanism depending` from said horizontal support, and a well of insulating' liquid also depending' 'from said support and submerging' said switch mechanism.

9. An oil-switch comprising a support, ixed circuit-terminals mounted thereon, a rocking' terminal adapted to close or open the switch, an oil-well adapted to be withdrawn from the terminals without disturbing' them, submerging' the terminals in a bath of insulating' liquid through the range of movement ot' the movable switch element, and an operating-handle for rocking' themovableelement.

l0. An oil-switch comprising' asupport lior the iixed circuit-terminals, on the rear ol'l the switchboard, a rocking' bridge to connect the terminals, a removable oil-well inclosing' the terminals, an operating-handle on the lrout of the board, and a latch to lock the switch in closed or open position.

l1. An electric switch comprising' a supporting-frame on the rear o1 an insulating-support, multiple-pole circuit-terminals lixed thereto, a rocking' frame carrying' bridgepieces to connect a plurality of sets ol" terminals lor dilierent circuits, a handle for operating' the frame from the front of the support, and a well of insulating' liquid covering' the contacts. Y

12. An electric switch conmrising' an insulating-support, two or more lixed groups of multiple-polel circuit-terminals mounted in a lrame secured to the back of the support, a roch-shaft on the frame, bridge-pieces carried thereby to connect the several groups ol terminals, a removable oil-well submerg'ing the terminals in a bath otl insulating' liquid, aliandle on the front of the support, and a stop to check the rock-shaft in the open position of the switch.

IOO

ITO

13. An oil-switch comprising fixed terminals, a support therefor, a rocker-frame carrying circuit-closing devices and an oil-bath submerging the terminals and all live parts of the switch, said bath being adapted to be withdrawn Without disturbing the terminals.

14. An electric switch comprising multipo- 1 lar circuit-terminals, a fixed support therefor,

a removable bath of oil submergfing, the same capable of Withdrawal without disturbing the contacts and insulating-barriers mounted on the support at each side of the terminals in the oil separating the several poles and surrounding them With solid insulating-walls.

15. An electric switch comprising multipolar circuit-terminals mounted on iixed insulating-supports, an oil-well inclosing the terminals and removable therefrom without disturbing the electric connections, and barriers EDVARD M. HEWLETT. WTILLIAM L. R. EMMET.

fitnessesz BENJ. B. HULL, J osnrrr Gnoss. 

